3-month old with acid reflux, what can I do to helf her suffer less? Please help, it's heart-breaking....

Question

Feeding my daughter has always been a struggle for both of us. First I thought it's she has a very small appetite, then somehow I found out she'd become very fussy and even scream during her meal, and doc finally diagnosed her with reflux. She's now having Zantac, Enfamil AR (thickened), but doesn't seem helping her much. I believe she has already associated the burning pain with the milk, that's what she's taking REALLY little (like 1 or 2 oz in every 3 hrs), but she's gaining weight (10th percentile), so doctor said she's gonna outgrow it. But in the meantime, I really wanna do something to help her. She sometimes even vomits MASSIVE amount and even pour it out from her little nose. It just breaks my heart. I'm already sitting her upright, burp alot, sit her up 30 mins after eating....she's still in pain. I heard goat mik helps, just wanna the reason behind or it's just for certain babies. I can't bear to see her go through this, she's a very happy baby, it just hurts a lot.

Answer 1

Here is what I found. Hope it Helps. Good luck
Specific treatment for gastroesophageal reflux will be determined by your baby's physician based on:

your baby's gestational age, overall health, and medical history
the extent of the disease
your baby's tolerance for specific medications, procedures, or therapies
the expectations for the course of the disease
your opinion or preference
In many cases, GER can be relieved through feeding changes, under the direction of your baby's physician. Some ways to better manage GER symptoms include the following:

After feedings, place your baby on his/her stomach with the upper body elevated at least 30 degrees, or hold him/her in a sitting position in your lap for 30 minutes. Because stomach sleeping has been associated with an increased risk for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), check with your baby's physician about how to position your baby for sleeping.
If bottle feeding, keep the nipple filled with milk so your infant does not swallow too much air while eating. Try different nipples to find one that allows your baby's mouth to make a good seal with the nipple during feeding.
Adding rice cereal to feeding may be beneficial for some older babies.
Burp your baby several times during bottle feeding or breastfeeding. Your baby may reflux more often when burping with a full stomach.
Make sure your baby's diaper is loose.
Treatment may include:

medications
If needed, your baby's physician may prescribe medications to help with reflux. There are medications which help decrease the amount of acid the stomach makes, which, in turn, will cut down on the heartburn associated with reflux.
Another type of medication your baby's physician may prescribe will help to empty the stomach faster. If food does not remain in the stomach as long as usual, there may be less chance of reflux occurring.

calorie supplements
Some babies with reflux will not be able to gain weight due to frequent vomiting. Your baby's physician may recommend the following:
adding rice cereal to baby formula
providing your infant with more calories by adding a prescribed supplement to formula or breast milk to make the milk higher in calories than normal
tube feedings
Some babies with reflux have other conditions that make them tired, such as congenital heart disease or prematurity. In addition to having reflux, these babies may not be able to drink very much without becoming sleepy. Other babies are not able to tolerate a normal amount of formula in the stomach without vomiting, and would do better if a small amount of milk was given continuously. In both of these cases, tube feedings may be recommended. Formula or breast milk is given through a tube that is placed in the nose, guided through the esophagus, and into the stomach (nasogastric tube). Nasogastric tube feedings can be given in addition to, or instead of, what a baby takes from a bottle, as directed by your baby's physician.
Many babies with GER will "outgrow it" by the time they are about a year old, as the lower esophageal sphincter becomes stronger.

This might be helpful too http://www.healthcentral.com/acid-reflux/tips.html

Answer 2

Our son began having acid reflux when he was about 2 weeks. We tried thickening his milk with only a little success. We went to see the paediatrician who gave us a list of options. We chose to try losec (10 mg). Within 2 days the acid tummy & screaming and projectile vomiting disappeared completely. Even with reflux and vomiting he was growing, so that isn't always an indicator.
So, I would be quick to suggest losec. It also helped my sister's baby's reflux.
Some of the other options given to us by the paediatrician were:
1. adding some rice cereal to each bottle to thicken it even more
2. raising him on more of an incline during sleep to help digestion
3. other options included zantac or gaviscol etc but losec was the best on the list

It's not okay when a baby is vomiting like that, and the pain isn't okay either so please don't listen to the doctor when he says she will outgrow it! Demand a referral to a paediatrician - they KNOW what they are dealing with. If your doctor won't refer you to a paediatrician, go to another doctor just for the referral.
I hope you find a solution for bubs soon, its heartwrenching stuff, but with treatment you can fix it!

Btw...incase you are wondering if there is a milk allergy or lactose intolerance, if that is the case her stools will probably appear frothy.

Good luck.

Answer 3

Chronic heartburn is usually from acid reflux - stomach acid is getting past the little valve and into your esophagus. You also should know some natural ways to treat your heartburn. Learn them here https://bitly.im/aMGxO

The most immediate thing you can do is to stop drinking coffee and cola. Smoking is not good either, but that might be harder to stop. Don't over-eat. Don't lie down too soon after eating. Don't burp too much - this carries acid up with the burp.

heartburn the most common symptom of acid reflux disease (also known as gastroespohageal reflux disease, or GERD). Heartburn feels like a burning pain in the center of the chest. It is caused by acid from the stomach backing up into the esophagus. is a symptom of acid reflux disease (GERD) Also known as Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease

Answer 4

Question
My daughter is a newborn Nov 18th, 03 and just 5 days ago was diagnosed with acid reflux. We have tried changing formula to something that does not have milk protein in it called alimentum but she still spit it up. The dr has her taking reglan and zantac. We do not like her taking this and it does not seem to be helping she spits it up when we give her the zantac and the reglan seems to really upset her belly when we give that to her. Can you suggest natural medicine that I can ask my dr about that could be an alternative. She is open to us using alternative medicine for her but I would like to see what is available that I could discuss with her. I understand that you can not tell me what to use I would just like to know what can work that I can speak with my childs ped about to see if she knows about it and if it can be safe for me to try with my daughter. Thank you for any help you can provide


Answer

Thanks for asking! Bless her little heart. I hate it when babies have problems.

I'd suggest trying one or more of the following for her. They're all "baby-safe" and should help. She may still need some prescription antacid, but you may well be able to reduce the dosage considerably and get it down to just one:

A tablespoon of unsweetened pineapple juice before feedings. The bromelain should help with digestion and reduce the acid.

A teaspoon of mild chamomile tea after eating (or mixed in with her bottle). It soothes the esophagus and will ease the burn while helping settle her tummy.

A little extra calcium mixed in her formula. Calcium is alkaline and will help neutralize the acids. Besides, it's good for building her bones. A company called Sundown makes a liquid calcium supplement in capsule form - you could easily just break a capsule into the bottle.

A VERY dilute tea of ginger, peppermint, and crushed dill seeds (make one cup of tea, then add another cup of water)- a teaspoon during or after eating aids digestion and helps prevent some of the muscle spasms that send the acids back upwards.

Thank you again. Please let me know if you or your daughter's doctor have any other questions. I'll be happy to help.

Answer 5

Now I don't know a lot on baby reflux but I have it and I know it hurts. Anyhow my baby was really colic and he would scream for hours of a tummy ache and he would throw up. Anyhow I put him on Nutramigen Lipil made from Enfamil. And WOW that night he only cried for about 30 minutes verses 6 hours!!!!! on the can it says for babies with colic due to cow's milk protien allergy and that basicly means that protien is ruff to digest this formula is hyplallegenic. I am on wic so I can get this but it is 25$ a can 16oz here in Oregon I have to have the dr write a script for it so wic will pay for it. But if you have WIC where your from the should give you a sample can to try and if it works they will pay for it. 25$ is a lot but if baby needs it. Let me know if it works.

Answer 6

I know what you're going through, my 19 month old has reflux. She is doing good with the Zantac, but once we switched her to a soy based formula, she did a lot better. Some days were better than others, maybe you should get a second opinion or find a pediatric gastric specialist, it has helped my daughter tremendously.

Answer 7

u may want to look into human milk....their are milk banks out there that pasteurize and test donated breast milk it can be a lifesaver for preemies and babies with stomach troubles...i believe it has to be ordered through a hospital or Dr. and it runs $3 an oz but can be covered by insurance...u might want to give it a go.....can't hurt

Answer 8

my son has gerd, which is just just reflux but a little worse, he is also on a.r. i would suggest you tell the dr that medicine isnt working. have they tried reglan for her? there is a variety of medicines they can try to help her out, i would go back to the dr as sonn as you get a chance. from what you are saying she has gerd not just reflux. and for them to say she will grow out of it..usually they do by 6-8 months however my son is now 10 months and still has it.

Answer 9

I'm sorry the two of you, especially your daughter, is going thru this. Please talk to her dr. or a nutritionist about goats' milk. I know when I was a baby, for another medical reason (allergies), I had to be on soy formula. If you talk with a nutritionist, please have your dr. do a referral on it. I wish you and your baby the best. Take care.

Answer 10

are little girl was like that and we had to put hour on soy milk
i would some times put some Hershey's chocolate in it very little just for taste and pleasure on her part
she was like that until 2yrs old and then she did OK with 2% milk but still cannot have vitamin d
also do not over worm her milk tends to curtail in stomach do to to much aside
good luck